Educational and legislative reforms occurring in the last half of the 20th century appear to have been initiated in response to the writings of John Dewey. The field of teacher education has responded to these reforms by adopting many new models of teacher preparation, technologies, and innovative best practices. Many of these changes were designed to meet the perceived needs of at-risk students and thus improve their chances for school success. Presumably, Dewey would be pleased with these reforms. Nevertheless, schools continue to be inhospitable for many members of minority and disability groups who cannot compete favorably with peers. This article examines educational, societal, and legislative barriers that preclude the possibility of educational reform's significantly increasing democracy in education. It discusses the futility of teacher education's striving for reform and its promoting a measurable level of educational democracy in the absence of broader social discourse.